1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mounting and clamping system for various equipment and, in particular, to improvements in motion picture lighting and grip equipment.
2. Description of Related Art and Other Considerations
There is a need to mount grip lighting equipment onto different objects and surfaces on and around film sets. Currently, there are several different products available. The industry standard uses either a ⅝″ male support pin or a 1-⅛″ female receiver. These products are generally permanently attached at one end to a plate (or, perhaps, a clamp or hanger), which is in turn attached to a support surface (or to an object capable of supporting the assembly). The other end of the support pin or receiver attaches a myriad of objects by clamping or by using a system of fasteners. Some of the products are called “Baby Plates”; these are available in many different lengths and styles, of which some are short, some are long, and there are also 45 degree and 90 degree pins. There are also receivers for accepting junior pinned items. These are called “Jr. Plates.” Unfortunately, these prior art devices (as noted) are permanently attached to a base, thus lacking interchangeability. When different equipment is needed (perhaps a different kind of studio lamp, or the same lamp but at a different angle), the base must be unscrewed and removed, and a different plate/pin combination installed (causing delay and often damaging the surfaces to which it is attached). In addition to these types of plates, there are also “hangers” and clamps which use different types of jaws to enable attachments of equipment to different objects.
Currently, since the support pins are permanently attached to mounting devices (e.g., plates, hangers and clamps), there is the need to have many different kinds of pin/plate combinations and hangers available, depending on what kind of film equipment is needed, where it needs to be placed, and at what angle. The standard rigging package needs to have many redundant options available, resulting both in being costly and in taking up a large amount of space. If the wrong length pin is used or if there is a need to change the position of the equipment, one type of device would have to be detached from the wall or other supporting surface and replaced with another type of pin/plate combination hanger or clamp (in the use of a plate, it must be attached to the wall). Either longer or shorter pins or receiver or of a different shape or style thereof would be required. Repeated mounting and dismounting of plate/pin combinations can cause damage to the wall, etc.